Ill. by Barbara Vagnozzi. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4088 1844 2.
(Ages: 3+) Recommended. Picture book. Animals. Supported by ZSL (the
Zoo Society of London) this bright, cheerful book introduces younger
readers to some of the animals they might see in a zoo. With the catchy
refrain on each page beginning with 'Never', each sentence uses
alliteration to underline the point the sentence is making, humerously
warning the younger reader what not to do when with an animal.
An example, is 'Never share a cake with a great big snake'. The
sentence begins with the word, 'Never', then uses rhyme to end the
sentence. Over the page is another refrain, beginning with 'But do',
giving a rhyming sentence with a positive spin (But do run a mile from
a crocodile) On the verso is the sentence, while on the recto, is the
animal and the sound it may make, encouraging the listener to make that
noise and join in.
Each page has bold, clear print with bright breezy illustrations, all
designed to encourage the child to join in with the story, the sounds
and the illustrations. The easy rhymes encourage young children to
predict the next words, while the alliteration adds to the fun of
reading the book. This is one of three recent publications under
the auspices of ZSL.
Fran Knight
Doom rider by David Gatward
Hodder Children's Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1 4449 0769 8.
Seth is a twelve year old boy, who, in his many previous lives, is
always murdered before he turns thirteen. This disturbing book is
set in a period that seems to be the present in England, however it is
an England ruled over by the Protector and where people can get a daily
quote from the Bible on their mobile. Seth and his family earn
their meagre living by attending religious festivals where Seth is in
some demand for his visions and predictions of the future.
Dissatisfied with his family and life in general Seth makes plans to
leave and strike out on his own. However his plan is discovered
by his father and Seth is forced to remain until Lily appears at his
performance. Through Lily, Seth begins to learn of his destiny as
one of the Riders in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. What
follows is the story of how Seth begins to come to terms with his
destiny as he finds the other Riders and has visions of the end of the
world. Interwoven in this are the attempts of the Protector and
his enforcers, The Chosen, to kill Seth and those who help him.
I found the book extremely dark. The visions that Seth has of the
end of the world and hence humanity are disturbing. I'm not sure
who the book would appeal to, the religious overtones and the science
fiction aspects make, I think, strange bedfellows. It is hard to
identify with the characters, but perhaps middle school students
looking for something different may find the journey through this
complex story rewarding.
David Rayner
Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 9780857079169.
An unabashed devotee of historical fiction, this reader leapt at the
chance to review this novel - purportedly a Downtown Abbey aimed at the
YA market. Hmmm, well, after a very slow start, one started laughing
and was surprised as one didn't expect it to be a spoof. Oops,
apparently it's not meant to be!
For those of a certain age, or those who enjoy revisiting vintage
British programs - recall if you can, The Forsyte Saga - yes,
that's
right the black-and-white series from the 60s, based on the novels by
John Galsworthy. Melodrama, hammy acting, every cliche known to
humanity. Now combine that with perhaps The Bold and The Beautiful
-
histrionics, hokey performances, every banality known to scriptwriting.
Shallow characters, slight plot (eventually) hanging by a thread, and
of course, the usual plethora of family secrets, unpleasant people,
illegitimacy, unwanted suitors, star-crossed lovers - you name it, it's
there.
One doesn't like to disparage a first novel - after all, it has been
considered worthy to publish - and apparently, Ms Graham is enamoured
of historical fiction, albeit may it be suggested without real in-depth
knowledge or research. For example, in the early 20th century when the
class system was still very entrenched in England, it would be hard to
believe that a very young maid raised by charity within the one stately
family home would be able to quote Shakespeare or articulate with a
vocabulary that would be more at home with an Oxford scholar. It is not
suggested that this shouldn't be put on the library shelves, but please
don't expect quality literature - essentially, a slight novel that may
divert a girl looking for a undemanding read.
Sue Warren
Coming home by Sharon McGuinness
Ill. Shannon Melville. Wombat Books, 2012. hbk., RRP $24.95. ISBN
978-1-921633-77-5.
'Gemma watches her dad as he sits alone in his garden. Waiting. Day
after day.
Looking but not seeing. Shoulders hunched. Body slumped.' No matter
what Gemma
does - whirling like a ballerina, turning cartwheels, even playing a
tune on her
recorder - nothing seems to break through to that dark and lonely place
that her
dad inhabits these days. She even wonders if he loves her any more.
Weeks pass
and then one day . . .
I have been WAITING to review this remarkable book by our very own
Sharon
McGuinness - she who is behind the wonderful Mrs Mac's Library that is
such a wonderful resource for
all of us.
Gemma's dad suffers from depression and in Coming Home, Sharon
has
dared to
tackle an issue that she knows much about, that many of our students
experience
within their families, and yet few bring into the open through
contemporary
realistic fiction that is aimed at the primary school child. This
sensitively
illustrated picture book that starts in a dark place with just a few
spots of
colour of hope blossoms into a beautiful story that needs to be shared.
Despite
its focus, it is a story of hope and learning to enjoy what is, not
worry about
what might be. Gemma's dad may relapse, but, for now, Gemma's just glad
to have
him 'home'. The words may seem simple, but they are carefully chosen
and convey
a powerful message. Perhaps it will be your lead-in to RUOK Day on
September
13.
Mental health issues are very slowly losing the taboo that has
surrounded them
for centuries, and by writing Coming Home Sharon has given us a
story
that can
help us open discussions with a group or be gently suggested to a
particular
student because the teacher librarian knows both students and the
collection.
This is a story written with such delicacy that you know it has been
written by
one who has lived the life and knows how to reach out to children.
Sharon is developing a book trailer which will be available on her new
site Mrs
Mac's Books and teachers'
notes
are available.
She is also donating all royalties to the Black Dog Institute to
help
fund
education programs and further research.
Coming Home's message and quality is being heard in the author
community - it
will be launched at the State Library in Perth on October 16 by Meg
McKinlay
(No Bears) at a function also attended by Norman Jorgensen,
Sally
Murphy, and
Susanne Gervay. Acknowledgement and accolades indeed for a new author!
Even if you only have $25.00 left in your budget for this year, spend
it on this
book.
Congratulations, and thank you, Sharon.
Advice, support and treatment for depression is available from: Black Dog Institute ,
Beyond Blue , Headspace (Australia's
national youth mental health foundation),
RUOK?&
and Lifeline .
Barbara Braxton
In the lion by James Foley
Walker Books, 2012. ISBN 9781 921720 32 1.
(Ages: 3+) Highly recommended. Picture book. Zoos. From the open
mouthed
lion on the front cover to the lion's tail swishing the key to its cage
on the end paper, this is a treat for all.
A boy and his family go to the zoo, and the lad watches as several
people enter the lion's cage, each to preform a task. The dentist with
his long toothbrush, the hairdresser with her giant comb, the chef and
the zookeeper, all disappear, while the lion's tummy gets to be
enormous. A number of nearby animals also disappear, the walrus, a
flamingo, two spider monkeys and an armadillo! That is until the lad
takes charge, and using the toothbrush as a lever is able to get them
all out.
A lovely tale told in the form of The old lady who swallowed a fly,
with each succeeding sentence reprising all that has gone before,
younger readers and even younger listeners will love to add to the
refrain as it swings across the next page. They will laugh with delight
at predicting the next line, and at the antics of the animal in
question and the part played by the visiting boy.
Graphite drawings and digital colour are wonderfully used in the
illustrations, with bright bold colours and minutely detailed animals
and patrons covering all the pages. This is a funny book from start to
finish and sharp eyed readers will see a lot more in the illustrations.
The naughty twins of the dedication seem to be the crying twins in the
book, but they will please the eye of the readers when perusing the
range of patrons visiting the zoo that day.
The title begs the reader to add 'den' or 'mouth', and the story could
be paired with many other zoo picture books, as well as the old
favourite poem, The lion and Albert (there is a wonderful
rendition of
the poem on Youtube), or the tale of Daniel in the lion's den,
or the
Aesop fable of The Lion and the mouse.
Fran Knight
Be home for Armageddon by Luke Edwards
Omnibus, 2012.
Luke Edwards' first novel, Be home for Armageddon, is a story
of
amazing
complexity and hilarious predicaments.
To give too much more detail would spoil the book for prospective
readers,
but it details the impact on an urban community of the Holingtons,
who arrive unannounced from outer space, seeking to experience life
in a developed civilization.
The main character is 17 year old Victor, alarmed and confused when
an explosion demolishes a house in his street. His friend, Soo, a
17 year old school girl, adept at creating convincing excuses for
getting out of class, urges him to find out what is going on. Once
they realise who is living amongst them, they enlist the help of Mr
Blake, the science teacher at their school. The trio struggle
valiantly to work through the potentially disastrous problems created
unwittingly by the visitors while at the same time, maintaining
friendly relations with them.
Though their characters aren't developed in any detail, Victor and
Soo are likeable young people. Their repartee adds to the humour of
the novel as their relationship develops from friendship to something
more. Mr Blake, too, in an effort to solve the mathematical
equations associated with the dilemma, rekindles a relationship with
a former girlfriend.
The story moves at a cracking pace with many laugh out loud moments
as Victor, Soo and Blake muster up logical sounding reasons to keep
people from discovering the true identity of the.Holington family.
Explanations of why the Holington's speak with a refined British
accent, what defines neighbourly behaviour and why home schooling is
the best option for the youngest Holington are just some of the
hilarious moments in the novel.
Luke Edwards has created a light hearted farce which will appeal to
teenagers prepared to suspend belief just for the sheer fun of it.
Thelma Harvey
Let's count kisses illustrated by Karen Hull
Lothian, Hachette Press, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7344 1270.
Recommended. This is a beautiful book, which highlights the many wonderful species
of Australian butterfly. Supported by a website, the story
counts kisses for many
Australian animals, such as koala, wallaby, galah, kookaburra, echidna,
wombat, platypus, dingo, crocodile and barn
owl, and gently prepares the listener for a cosy bedtime.
As the story moves along, there are flaps to lift, butterflies to
count, and animals so richly drawn that you could reach into the page
and give them a big cuddle. The cadence of the
story is light, lulling the listener into a calm and sleepy state,
winding down for bed. Karen Hull's illustrations (done in pencil) are
amazing and vibrant,
and they caring along the rhyme of the story beautifully, adding
richness to the text that would be sorely lacking
were they not there. The butterflies are a highlight, with an amount of
detail rarely seen in picture books of
this ilk. The illustrator based the butterfly illustrations on the
photography of Geoff Walker, and the result is
very lifelike.
Prime for not just bed time, but for increasing the all important early
numeracy and one to one correspondence skills, this book is recommended
for both home and early years
libraries.
Freya Lucas
Rift by Andrea Cremer
Atom, 2012. ISBN 9781907411397.
(Ages: 16 and up) Rift is my first title by Andrea Cremer, and having
heard all the praise for the Nightshade series, I decided to pick up
this standalone prequel.
Ember Morrow is a daughter of a noble who, dissatisfied with her dad's
suffocating rules and plan to marry her off, decides to join the Guard
and serve the order of Conatus. Although she's spoilt with dresses and
pretty things, her heart lies in learning how to fight and becoming a
knight. Her childhood friend, Allistair, is also a member of the guard,
and most of the book lies in her training and learning the ways of the
Guard.
The perspective switches between Ember, and Cian and Eira, two sisters
from the Guard who are fierce commanders in battle. The book starts off
heavily with Ember's perspective, and then later switches heavily to
Eira's while Ember is out of action. I found this disjointing, but the
purpose behind this is soon unveiled later in the book.
Although Rift is plagued with a slow start and lengthy world building,
the last third of the book speeds up with battles between magical
creatures, a mysterious foe, and conflicting sides. I haven't read the
Nightshade series, but judging from a chapter preview of the book, the
language is more formal, descriptive and effectively conveys the
early fifteenth century setting.
I was surprised to find the heavy fantasy elements within this book,
which is divergent from the werewolf paranormal setting of the
Nightshade series. There's not a lot of romance, as the blurb may
suggest, and the focus seems to be on the setup of a huge war later on.
I didn't find this book terribly exciting, and it seems to lack the
pizzazz of some sort. Ember and her love interest Barrow weren't
intriguing enough to hold my interest; and Barrow tends to treat her
quite coldly, and the budding romance was unconvincing. Perhaps it's
the world building and formal language hindering my enjoyment, but
we'll just have to see how it develops in the sequel, Rise.
Jeann Wong
Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield
Text Publishing, 2012. ISBN: 9781921922701.
(Age: Upper secondary) Recommended. Vikki Wakefield's second novel is
equally as intense as All I Ever Wanted, and equally as gritty;
there's
just more: more emotion, more power, and more conflict. Because, let's
face it, a book with the same name as its main character is almost
required by (literary) law to develop a character who defies
convention, and who might be hailed as a game changer. A big ask.
Friday Brown is one such character. Her story is huge. Readers are
given a taste of her young, impressionable life on the road with her
mother, Vivienne, who is reckless, spontaneous, and slightly dangerous.
Friday, now 17, and clearly influenced by her wandering mother, runs
from the possibility of a stable home life the minute she is alone.
Homeless by choice and grieving by circumstance, Friday's loss and
loneliness is palpable. Friday Brown, the book, is difficult to put down. This author
doesn't
muck around - there are no toffee apples or candy canes at this show.
And Friday Brown, the girl, is difficult to pin down. She's drowning in
grief, steeped in curses, and looking for her place in the world -
looking in all the wrong places, perhaps. Once she becomes involved
with a group of homeless youths, led by the charismatic Auden, she
sacrifices her own values and beliefs to fit in. The depiction of Auden
is interesting, if not original. The charming yet self-serving leader
is cliched, and Wakefield pushes the trope into almost
melodramatic proportions. Towards the end of the novel, when Auden's
veneer is worn thin enough to reveal her true nature, there are some
tense, insightful stand-offs between the two young women. It is great
writing.
Both the city and country landscapes are luminous and real. A sense of
place, integral to all the characters, ensures the narrative is
grounded. While Friday stays in the city, it's clear she feels
suffocated - she lacks confidence and strength. When we see her return
to the country town the contrast is immediate. She takes charge, she
shows courage and wisdom, and ultimately she recognises she's home. Friday Brown is intense and absorbing. I hope it finds its way
into
many teenagers' hands. I would imagine it's most appealing to the upper
secondary years. Themes include family relations, homelessness,
friendship, and identity.
Trisha Buckley
Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon
Penguin Viking, 2012. ISBN 9780 670 076031.
(Ages: 7+) Highly recommended. Picture book. With the cover reminiscent
of an old 78 RPM record, the hard plastic disc peeping out of the dusty
brown cover, the stage is set for a story set in the back streets of
New York, a place where two people, Herman and Rosie live. They live
quite close to each other, have similar interests, love music, but in
the midst of this great metropolis, are lonely. During the day Rosie
cleans dishes at a restaurant, taking singing lessons int he
afternoon and at night, singing at a small downtown Jazz Club.
Herman works in an office where he sells things over the phone, more
often talking to the person at the other end of the line, rather than
doing his job.
One day Herman loses his job, and after a period of sadness, plays his
oboe again. Rosie also loses her singing job and on hearing Herman's
music, tracks it down. The two come together with their music, singing
and playing the oboe together.
This is a lovely story of coming together, of overcoming loneliness, of
finding a soul mate in the midst of a lonely crowd. It is the story of
New York, a place where many millions live, and where music is part of
the fabric of life. The prose creates images of a bustling, crowded
city, one where noise and people rub together, but over all this we
hear the oboe and Rosie's voice.
Gordon's illustrations are magical, creating for the younger reader a
dense, detailed picture of a living city. The apartment buildings
crammed next to each other, the range of signs seen downstairs,
inviting people into a bar or cafe, the drab office, the empty
nightclub, the maps showing the sights of New York, all create a
masterful image of New York, pinning the thread of the city to the
pages overlaying it with music. The style of the illustrations will
intrigue the reader, when viewing the postcards, or sheets of paper
overlaid with an image, or a pay sheet, or lined graph paper, or
newspaper, each giving another layer of imagery, that of the scrapiness
of the city, with paper tumbling about unwanted, reminding us again of
the two lonely souls.
This is a delightful book, whether read on one level, that of the two
lonely people coming together, or of a major city and the loneliness
inherent in its size or seeing the disposable nature of city life, each
gives nourishment to the reader and reasons for further thought,
discussion and reading.
Fran Knight
Survive by Alex Morel
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2012. ISBN 978-174297306-7.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Jane Solis who is living in a mental
health facility for troubled
teenagers after her suicide attempt a year ago is making a trip home to
her mother's for the holiday period. Through Jane's first person
narration the reader quickly learns that whilst Jane intends boarding
the flight home she will not land at her destination; alive that
is. Jane has planned the perfect suicide. Simply written
Morel encapsulates the inner pain Jane feels as she describes her life
and the events that led her to this decision.
Fate however has other plans and what starts out as a quest for death
becomes a fight for survival when the plane Jane is on crashes on a
remote snow covered mountaintop. There are only two survivors
Jane and Paul Hart, a young man she met on the plane and doesn't
particularly like. Paul has some outdoor skills and is physically
fit but Jane who has been in the facility for some time is not.
Still they quickly realise that no-one will find them where they are
and they need to get off the mountain if they are to survive.
As Jane and Paul unite to fight for survival we learn that Paul too has
some unresolved issues and the race to survive also becomes a race to
escape the past for both of them. Graphic descriptions of the
harrowing events that occur as they try to make their way off the
mountain create a heart pounding adventure but are tempered with the
poignant imagery of the burgeoning friendship and love that develops
between the pair.
I have never had the inclination to physically harm myself but as a
high school teacher have had students who self-harm and/or have
suicidal tendencies. Thus when I started to read Survive my
first
reaction was one of disquiet as I pondered how this complex issue would
be dealt with so as not to glorify this issue but also not to
underestimate the despair felt by many young people today which can
lead to self-harming and suicide. I needn't have worried;
author Alex Morel handled it beautifully. Ultimately Survive is
a novel
that will stay with you long after you have read it.
Denise Russell
Play school - Jemima Gets Dressed designed by Megan Bond
ABC Books, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7333 3155 8.
First published as Jemima Plays Dress Ups' this sturdy board book is
sure to be a favourite with the under 4 set. Using the song 'Hey there
what do you wear?' as an underpinning, this
is a fun story to either read or sing along to.
Supported by bright full colour photographs, and supplemented with
decorated boarders on each double page spread, this book will visually
engage small readers, and the simple repetitive
nature of the song itself (in a stripe, stripe, stripey way) make this
an easy one to read out loud. Once
Jemima is all dressed to play, the rain comes down and the song of the
story changes to 'drip drop' and Jemima puts on her
raincoat and her hat, to go and jump in the puddles.
The background of the pictures is always the same, which ensures
continuity throughout the book. There are a number of stimulus points
for discussion within the book, helping to scaffold
interaction between the 'reader' and the 'audience' - 'what's Jemima
putting on next? You have a spotty shirt
too!' At the end of the story there is a chance for the reader to
decide what they would like to wear when they
go out to play.
A lovely Playschool favourite to read aloud to the little people in
your lives.
Freya Lucas
How to catch a star by Oliver Jeffers
HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN 978 0 00 715034 2.
(Ages 4+) Recommended. Picture book. Ambition. Our hero has
aspirations, he wants to catch a star. He loves stars more than
anything else and watches them avidly, thinking about how a star could
be his friend, and they could do things together. He decides that he
must catch a star, and so devises many plans to do just that. But each
of his plans is thwarted and despondently he walks along the jetty,
where he notices something floating in the water.
This is a lovely story. It is brimming with the notion of trying to
achieve something which may be out of reach, of aspiring to get
something, of keeping on trying despite failures. The boy is never
daunted, always coming up with a new scheme to achieve his goal.
Children will love reading of his attempts and smile with him when he
finally gets what he wants. In a classroom or at home, this story is a
wonderfully positive look at trying your hardest, of trying different
ways of achieving your goal, of never giving up.
The watercolour illustrations are just marvellous, using simple, clean
lines to achieve a mountain of feeling and emotion. The pages of single
colour, broken up with the small boy or a star, or a rocket ship, or
jetty, simply sing as they draw the reader into the small world that is
created by Jeffers, an award winning Irish author and artist.
Fran Knight
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
HarperCollins, 2012.
(Ages: 16+) Highly recommended. Melissa Marr's Carnival of Souls
is an intoxicating journey into a fantastical world called The City,
where daimons and witches reside. Every generation, The City offers its
inhabitants an opportunity to join the ruling elite through the
Carnival of Souls. Plagued by an unforgiving caste system, the Carnival
gives fighters a beacon of hope - and the chance for those at the
bottom rung to escape from dirty 'black mask' work which involves
fighting and killing.
We follow the perspectives of fascinating multiple characters told in
third person. Aya is the ambitious ruling class daimon who enters the
fight to break free from female conventions such as marriage and
breeding. Kaleb is a lower caste daimon called a cur, who can shift
forms and forms a pack with those he feels a connection to. Finally, we
have Mallory, a teenage girl in the human world raised and trained to
fight by a witch and just wants to be normal. Each character has their
own intricacies and are fascinating to read about. The third person
view was also refreshing, as we're spoilt for choice with first person
in YA novels.
Marr's ability in blurring the lines between different characters and
connecting the dots later on is mind-blowing. You'll pick up the novel
thinking you're reading one thing, and before you know it, a plot twist
will have you looking at the whole book in a different light. It's
these plot devices that makes it so compelling, as you turn to pages to
find out more about this interesting world.
This is the first novel I've read of Marr's, and she has an amazing
ability to interweave storylines to create an immersive dark fantasy.
In just 300 words, she communicates amazing complexities of the caste
system, the politics between daimons and witches, two alternative
worlds of The City and the human world, and the thoughts of five
different characters. Carnival of souls is richly descriptive, imaginative, and
complex. The story hooks you in from the very first page and will have
you clamouring for more until the very end. Unfortunately when you
reach the end, you'll realise that this novel is just the beginning and
you'll need to wait until the sequel for more.
Jeann Wong
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie - Opposites ill. by May Gibbs
Scholastic Australia, 2012. ISBN 978 1 74283 044 5.
This gorgeous simple board book has been brought back to the shelves in
support of the work of the Northcott Society and Cerebral Palsy
Alliance.
Using delicate watercolour illustrations, the timeless work of May
Gibb's iconic Snugglepot and Cuddlepie is used to illustrate the
concepts of opposites, both the common (day/night,
fast/slow) and uncommon (alone/together, here/there), in simple
language.
This is the ideal book to introduce to under 2's, with short simple
concepts and gentle pastel text. Featuring various Australian flora and
fauna including flannel flowers, wattle,
Christmas bells, a platypus and a possum, the book would also make a
lovely gift, both for Australian children and as
a souvenir to take overseas.
Part of a series including Snugglepot and CuddlePie present colours,
Snugglepot and CuddlePie present first words, Where are
Snugglepot and CuddlePie?, 1,2,3 Count to Ten with
Gumnut Babies, these iconic Australian books are a must have for
any board book collection.
Freya Lucas
